Sinfonia No. 2

Symphony No. 2 “Lost Innocence”
for orchestra

World Premiere (1997 version):
23 March 1998
Teatro Massimo Opera production:
Sicilian Music Academy; G. Colajanni, conductor
St. Maria della Catena Church, Palermo

Recordings:
2011, Naxos Records – See DISCOGRAPHY page

Recordings:
2000, Le Prime Sinfonie , Panastudio Productions;
2011, Di Vittorio Sinfonia , Naxos
For other premieres of this work, visit: Performances

Program Notes/Il Programma
Symphony No. 2 “Lost Innocence”, for orchestra, was composed in 1997 and then revised in 2000.

A program symphony, Sinfonia No. 2 was inspired by the tragedy of the Yugoslav civil wars in the late 1990s. As a reflection on the history of war and peace, the symphony depicts mankind’s cyclical process in the search, discovery and abandonment of truth. Despite the work’s dramatic ending, the overall theme of the music suggests mankind’s unrelenting hope and soul through the guide of innocence.

A “Requiem for a Child” begins the music with a prayer for the death of innocent souls. The “March, On Lost Innocence” concludes the first movement in a musical depiction of evil, or war itself. In the “Dance of Tears” a cry for redemption is made in the search for humanity. Finally, a symbolic discovery of truth is given in “Child-heart, Song of Truth”, which advocates the heart and innocence of a child. As typical of history, mankind abandons the childlike philosophy and returns to evil and war in “Revelation: The Abandoned Cradle”. The fourth and final movement, “Elegy” acts as a funeral march with the hopeful rebirth of mankind towards peace.

Note that each of the four movements is based on the development of different world-lullabies (Yugoslavian and German, English and American, French, Austrian, and Italian), which as a collective whole represent the hope of our world.

– Salvatore Di Vittorio

(Italian)

Symphony No. 2 “Lost Innocence”, for orchestra, was composed in 1997 and then revised in 2000.

A symphony with program, Symphony No. 2 was inspired by the tragedy of the war in Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. In reflection of the history of war and peace, the Symphony depicts the cyclical process of man in the search for, discovery and abandonment of truth. In spite of the symphony’s dark conclusion, the musical theme suggests human hope and soul through the guidance of the innocent.

The Requiem for a Child begins with a prayer for the death of innocent souls. The “March, On Lost Innocence” concludes the first movement with a representation of evil and vice, that is, war. In the “Dance of Tears” a cry for redemption and created for the search for humanity. Finally, a representation of truth discovered and given in “Child-Heart, Song of Truth”. As in history, man abandons the philosophy of the innocent and returns to war with “Revelation: The Abandoned Cradle”. The last movement, “Elegy” works as a funeral march with the hope for man’s rebirth towards peace.

Note that each movement is based on the development of various world nursery rhymes (Yugoslavs and Germans, British and Americans, French, Austrians and Italians), which collectively represent the hope of our world.

– Salvatore Di Vittorio